DC Comics is all set to expand further with its “Black Label” imprint. According to an official statement, the main objective is to provide premier talent the opportunity to expand upon the canon of DC’s iconic superhero comic book characters with unique, standalone stories that are outside of the current DC Universe continuity.
The creator-led line will feature work by Frank Miller, Brian Azzarello and the first major DC work by Kelly Sue DeConnick. The initial lineup of books will include new stories starring DC’s Trinity of Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman.
“DC Black Label offers leading writers and artists of any industry the opportunity to tell their definitive DC stories without being confined to canon,” Doyle said in the announcement.
Each book will have its own distinct format and release schedule and Black Label books will sport a separate logo.
Along with Superman: Year One and The Other History of the DC Universe, DC Black Label will include Wonder Woman Historia: The Amazons from Kelly Sue DeConnick and Phil Jimenez, a three-book series.
Here’s the official initial lineup for DC Black Label, along with synopses from the publisher:
Superman: Year One from Frank Miller (The Dark Knight Returns, Batman: The Dark Knight: Master Race) and John Romita Jr. (All-Star Batman, Superman)
A groundbreaking, definitive treatment of Superman’s classic origin story in honor of his 80th anniversary. This story details new revelations that re-frame the Man of Steel’s most famous milestones — from Kal-El’s frantic exile from Krypton, to Clark Kent’s childhood in Kansas, to his inevitable rise to become the most powerful and inspiring superhero of all time.
Batman: Last Knight on Earth from Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo, the creative team behind Dark Knights: Metal
Batman wakes up in a desert. He doesn’t know what year it is or how The Joker’s head is alive in a jar beside him, but it’s the beginning of a quest unlike anything the Dark Knight has undertaken before. In this strange future, villains are triumphant and society has liberated itself from the burden of ethical codes. Fighting to survive while in search of answers, Bruce Wayne uncovers the truth about his role in this new world — and begins the last Batman story ever told.
Batman: Damned from Brian Azzarello and Lee Bermejo, the creative team behind Joker
On a deserted Gotham City bridge, a body is found. Whispers spread the news: Joker is dead. But is this a dream come true or a nightmare being born? Now Batman and DC’s outlaw magician John Constantine must hunt the truth through a Gotham City hellscape. The city’s supernatural recesses are laced with hints about a killer’s identity, but the Dark Knight’s descent into horror will test his sanity and the limits of rationality, as he must face a horror that doesn’t wear a mask.
Wonder Woman Historia: The Amazons from Kelly Sue DeConnick (Bitch Planet) and Phil Jimenez (Infinite Crisis)
A Homeric epic of the lost history of the Amazons and Queen Hippolyta’s rise to power. Featuring monsters and myths, this three-book saga spans history from the creation of the Amazons to the moment Steve Trevor washes up on the shores of Paradise Island, changing our world forever.
Wonder Woman: Diana’s Daughter (working title) from Greg Rucka (Wonder Woman, Batwoman)
It’s been 20 years since the world stopped looking to the skies for hope, help and inspiration. Now the world keeps its eyes down, and the powers that have risen have every intention of keeping things that way. Amongst a scattered, broken resistance, a young woman seeks to reclaim what has been forgotten, and on the way, will learn the truth about herself, her heritage, and her destiny.
The Other History of the DC Universe from John Ridley (12 Years a Slave, The American Way)
A compelling literary series analyzing iconic DC moments and charting sociopolitical gains through the perspectives of DC superheroes who come from traditionally disenfranchised groups, including John Stewart, Extraño, Vixen, Super girl, Katana and Rene Montoya, among others. At its core, the story focuses on the lives of those behind the costumes and their endeavors to overcome real-world issues. It isn’t about saving the world, it’s about having the strength to simply be who you are.
The line is scheduled to launch in August with the first issue of the three-part Superman: Year One.
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